ATLANTA — A horse race gambling proposal failed to place in the General Assembly.

The proposal that would have allowed Georgia residents to vote on bringing horse betting to the state did not advance from the Senate earlyTuesday on Crossover Day.  

While horse racing is allowed in Georgia, betting on the races is illegal, but supporters say it could boost Georgia’s economy. 

Republican Sen. Billy Hickman said $75,000 was raised to hire Georgia Southern University for an economic impact study. The study, Hickman said, estimated that horse betting could create more than 8,500 jobs and have a nearly $1 billion economic impact. 

“(SR 131) will help all of Georgia, especially rural Georgia,” Cherokee County Sen. Brandon Beach, a Republican, said. “We will create a new industry in Georgia with horse racing, horse breeding and sales that will have a $1.2 billion economic impact particularly enhancing investment for horse breeding in the most rural parts of our state.”

A percentage of funds would go toward a fund to treat those with gambling addictions.  

But Republican Sen. Marty Harbin said though he grew up around horses and his business insures them, he is against SB 131 because it would promote gambling.    

“We’ve all met people who could not handle gambling, it’s a health issue,” Harbin said. “There’s a high suicide rate that goes along with it, and in fact, gambling addiction is the most common impulse control disorder worldwide. Gambling is a poor personal investment and economic decision. … Gambling is not beneficial to the families of Georgia because those that cannot control it, money goes from the table, money goes from paying houses and insurance and the things that are there.”

Democrat Sen. Ed Harbison disagreed, stating people attending such recreational events should use discretionary cash and common sense.

“I think it will be good recreational addition for the state of Georgia,” he said. “We’ve got great football, basketball and other sports and I think this would add to the flavor of what’s happening in the state of Georgia.”

He referenced how many legislators voted against starting the Georgia Lottery — which provides proceeds for HOPE Scholarship for children — because it was also viewed as gambling.

“Students in the state of Georgia children don’t have to go outside of the state of Georgia now, because of the great program we have in the lottery,” Harbinson said. “You can look for the negative in anything and in anything you do. So you can look for the positive and great recreational opportunities for some of our citizens to avail themselves.” 

Previous attempts to bring gambling of various sorts to the state has passed in the legislature.  The lottery system was approved by voter in 1992.  

SR 131 failed to get the two-third majority vote as required for a proposal calling for a constitutional amendment. Following the failed vote of 33-22, the bill’s sponsor Republican Jeff Mullis asked to reconsider the bill. His motion to reconsider the bill passed 38-14.

He then moved to table the bill and his related bill, Senate Bill 212, which would create the Georgia Horse Racing Commission to regulate betting, and calls for the construction of up to five horse racing tracks in Georgia.

The bills have to be voted on by the end of the day Tuesday to move for consideration in the House.

Neither bill included stipulations against slot machines or gaming tables, which was also a concern of opponents. 

Georgia is one of approximately 10 states that do not permit horse betting. Among those states are Mississippi, South Carolina, Utah and Hawaii.